Empower Your Faith / Friday of Week 13; Matthew 9:9–13

July 07, 2023

GOSPEL

As Jesus passed by,he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Reflection

In today’s Gospel passage, we encounter a powerful moment of transformation and redemption as Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him. This encounter challenges our understanding of mercy, righteousness, and our own capacity for transformation.

Imagine the scene: Jesus passes by and sees Matthew, a tax collector, sitting at the customs post. In that moment, Jesus extends a simple yet profound invitation: “Follow me.” Without hesitation, Matthew responds by getting up and leaving everything behind to follow Jesus. This encounter marks the beginning of a radical transformation in Matthew’s life.

What unfolds next is equally significant. Matthew hosts a gathering at his house, inviting his fellow tax collectors and sinners to join Jesus and His disciples at the table. The Pharisees, known for their strict adherence to the law, are scandalized by this gathering. They question why Jesus, a respected teacher, would associate with tax collectors and sinners.

In response, Jesus challenges their understanding of righteousness and mercy. He says, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Jesus acknowledges that these tax collectors and sinners are in need of healing and redemption. He reminds the Pharisees, and all of us, that His mission is not to call the righteous but sinners.

In these few words, Jesus reveals His divine mercy and compassion. He demonstrates that His mission is to seek out those who are lost, broken, and in need of healing. Jesus sees beyond the external labels and societal judgments, extending His love and mercy to those who are often marginalized and rejected.

Through this Gospel passage, we are invited to reflect on our own attitudes and actions. Do we, like the Pharisees, tend to judge and exclude those whom society deems unworthy or sinful? Are we willing to extend mercy and compassion to those in need of healing and redemption, even if it challenges our comfort zones?

Furthermore, this passage calls us to examine our own need for transformation. Matthew, once a tax collector, responds to Jesus’ call and undergoes a profound conversion. His encounter with Jesus leads him to leave behind his former way of life and embrace a new path of discipleship.

We too are invited to respond to Jesus’ call in our own lives. We may not be tax collectors, but we all carry the burden of sin and brokenness. Jesus invites us to follow Him, to leave behind our old ways and embrace the transformative power of His love and mercy. It is in this encounter with Jesus that we find healing, redemption, and a new sense of purpose.

Let us pray: Gracious Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who calls us to follow Him. Open our hearts to the transformative power of His love and mercy. Help us to see beyond the external labels and societal judgments, extending compassion and mercy to all. Grant us the courage to embrace our own need for transformation and to respond to Jesus’ call in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.